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Buddy Holly 1958 |
| If you know my Cover Song List, I'm sure you do, then you
read the name J.P. McDermott very often.
A good reason for me to ask J.P. for his Buddy related story. | | | |
Wer meine Cover Song Liste kennt, liest immer wieder den
Namen J.P. McDermott. Ein starker Grund für mich, diesen
absoluten Fan von Buddy Holly und Sänger um seine
Geschichte zu bitten, die er mir gerne geschickt hat.
| Here's some general biographical info :
J.P. McDermott is a native of Washington DC. An award winning
singer, he has been playing rockabilly music around the region for
several years, in venues from beer joints to the Smithsonian
Institution.
His first record, "Last Fool Here" received airplay on radio stations
around the world, and was named Country Recording of Year by the
Washington Area Music Association.
His latest recording "It's Not Too Late" features covers of twelve
lesser-known, but beautiful songs recorded by Buddy Holly. | | |
 J.P. and the wall. He's a real Buddy nut.
J.P. McDermott - Photo by C. Zona
Here's J.P. McDermott's Story :
| | I came to be interested in Buddy Holly through a very
fortunate misunderstanding. Growing up in the ashington,
DC area in the 1970's I was exposed to a lot of fifties music.
There was a bit of a revival going on. One of my favorite
songs was "Run Around Sue". Browsing through some
45's in a local store, I happened on "Peggy Sue", confusing
it with the other record.
When I took it bought it and listened to it, I was surprised,
but I was hooked.
I've been a devoted fan ever since. | | | |
 Buddy and his buddy J.P.
J.P. McDermott in 2009 - Photo by Chip Py
| In college I played in a new wave band, but always managed
to get in a few Buddy Holly songs. I was playing a show at a
little dive bar in Washington DC one night in early February
1982 when it occurred to me that it was the anniversary of the
plane crash. I stopped the set, and we played the only 3 Buddy
songs we (barely) knew -- "Oh Boy", "Maybe Baby", and
"Slippin' and Slidin'". That planted an idea that would grow over
time.
Soon after I stopped playing in bands for a while -- marriage,
job, kids, etc. But I kept playing guitar in the living room, and
kept listening to Buddy's music. Around the turn of the century
I really got the itch to play live again, and started up a band.
What to call it? Western Bop, of course, after Buddy's early
business card advertising both kinds of music --
"Western and Bop". | | | |
 "IT'S NOT TOO LATE - NEARLY FORGOTTEN BUDDY HOLLY SONGS."
This is the superb CD with Buddy Holly cover songs by
J.P. McDermott and his band, Western Bop, from where
I took the titles for my BUDDY COVER SONG LIST.
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jpmcdermott2
| | Once I got established with the new band, I decided to do
a proper celebration of Buddy's remarkable life and music.
I gathered about 9 local bands and singers that first year
(2002) and played all Buddy all night (with the exception
of a couple of Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens numbers).
Each year the show got bigger and bigger. The 50th
anniversary was remarkable -- a huge turnout at a big
club, followed by one of the peak experiences of my life
-- giving a lecture/concert about Buddy, his life, and
musical legacy at the Smithsonian Institution!
Over the years I have gotten so much joy out of playing
this great music. We play pretty much everything Buddy
ever recorded, from "I Guess I Was Just A Fool" all the
way through to the Apartment Tapes.
There is just so much music, of such high quality, recorded
so well, and with such variety that it never grows old.
I'm sure I'll be playing it as long as I live, and hopefully
keeping it alive and fresh so that people hear it, and get
interested, and learn more for themselves. | | | |
 J.P. McDermott and his band "Western Bop".
Shown here, left to right,
Bob Newscaster, Tom Bowes, J.P. McDermott, Louie Newmyer.
Thanks again for your interest, and keep up the great work!
J.P. McDermott
A big THANK YOU to J.P. from Hans, editor of BUDDY HOLLY LIVES !
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